Niz Chicoloco (series)
Niz Chicoloco is a media franchise that consists of eight video games and two television series featuring the titular character Niz Chicoloco, a young heroic boy, created by Gingo Animation through Gingo Interactive. The first game Niz Chicoloco was released on the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, Game Gear, Game Boy, Virtual Boy, and Microsoft Windows in 1997. Subsequent entries in the series have appeared on different platforms. Characters : Main article: List of Niz Chicoloco characters Games Niz Chicoloco (1997) : Main article: Niz Chicoloco (1997 video game) The first Niz Chicoloco game was developed by Gingo Interactive in 1997 for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, Game Gear, Game Boy, Virtual Boy, and Microsoft Windows. Niz must rescue his girlfriend Kelly, who was kidnapped by monsters. Niz 2: The Journey of Nonsensical (1999) : Main article: Niz 2: The Journey of Nonsensical Niz 2: The Journey of Nonsensical was developed again by Gingo Interactive and released in 1999 for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, and Microsoft Windows. Niz and his new friends Pip, Giggs, and Bob team up to get back Niz's stolen birthday cake from a mysterious figure. Niz Chicoloco Racing (2001) : Main article: Niz Chicoloco Racing Niz Chicoloco Advance (2002) : Main article: Niz Chicoloco Advance A remake of the original 1997 game titled Niz Chicoloco Advance was released in 2002 for the Game Boy Advance. Niz Chicoloco 3 (2004) : Main article: Niz Chicoloco 3 Niz Chicoloco Jet Race (2005) : Main article: Niz Chicoloco Jet Race Niz Chicoloco Evolution (2006) : Main article: Niz Chicoloco Evolution Niz Chicoloco (2017) : Main article: Niz Chicoloco (2017 video game) Cancelled and unreleased games The Gabriel and Niz Mayhem After Gabriel Garza: Coupled's release, Gingo concurrently began working on a new Gabriel Garza crossover game with Niz Chicoloco called The Gabriel and Niz Mayhem along with Niz Chicoloco 3. The game was intended to feature open-world environments. It was cancelled when the development team felt they would have had too many crossover games. Eris Chaos After the release of Niz Chicoloco 3, there was a plan to develop a project called Eris Chaos, which was intended to be a stealth action game. As the name implies, it was intended to star recurring antagonist Eris, who would have planned to infiltrate every place and steal items therein. Eris Chaos never got past the concept stage. Other media Television series 1998 original series : Main article: Niz Chicoloco (TV series) 2018 Netflix series : Main article: Niz Chicoloco (2018 animated series) Film In 2003, DreamWorks and Gingo were producing a theatrical Niz Chicoloco animated film, in association with Universal Pictures. The film was to be animated much like the series as well as previous Gingo fare such as The Gabriel Garza Movie and TeenV Movie, but was scrapped due to management changes at DreamWorks and Gingo although the script was already written. In 2013, creator Geo G. stated that, if DreamWorks asked Gingo to, he would be more than happy to bring Niz Chicoloco back, as well as Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. In July 2016, nearing NBCUniversal's acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, it was reported that DreamWorks was in talks with Gingo and Universal Animation Studios CEO Michael Wildshill about a possible way of bringing Niz Chicoloco and Sinbad back. In April 2017, IGN reported that a new Niz Chicoloco film was in development at DreamWorks Animation and Gingo alongside a HD remake of the original 1997 game and a reboot television series for Netflix. The film will be directed by Samuel Merritt from a screenplay by David H. Steinberg with Lisa Stewart and Scott Setterberg producing. Geo will serve as the executive producer of the film. On March 23, 2019, it was announced that the film would be released on September 23, 2022. Merchandise The series was a merchandising bonanza, and had the most merchandise out of the entire Gingo Animations studio. Products ranged from trading cards, toys, lunchboxes, clothes, and more. It spawned a few book series as well: the regular Niz Chicoloco TV series, which were chapter book adaptations of various episodes, Niz Chicoloco Chronicles, which were unique-to-chapter book stories, and Niz Chicoloco Mysteries, which were also unique to the book, with mystery plots not seen in the television series. Picture books were also released for younger fans. Comics based on both the series appeared in the Gingo Magazine from 2003 to 2010. Appearances in other media Niz Chicoloco appeared as a playable character in the Gingo Fighting Royale series in all 3 games. In addition, Eris, Giggs, Kelly, and Pip appeared in Fighting Royale 2 and Fighting Royale 3, and Ligo in Fighting Royale 3. Niz Chicoloco appeared in Gingo Ultimate Heroes as a playable figure in the Starter Pack. In addition, Pip, Giggs, Heko, Kelly, and Bob had figures too. The characters from Niz Chicoloco ''will appear in the ''Universal Studios Legendary Heroes series in the second game, Universal Studios Legendary Heroes: Classic Heroes as playable characters, with Niz Chicoloco in the Starter Pack. Trivia Niz Chicoloco was intended to be a mascot character for DreamWorks to use to compete against Disney's Mickey Mouse.